Kosovo Serb priest likens explosion to previous mortar attacks on monastery
BBC Monitoring Europe (Political) - March 30, 2007 Friday

Text of report by Serbian TV on 30 March

[Presenter] Another explosion took place in Kosmet [Kosovo-Metohija], the third one in the past seven days. At 0110 [2310 gmt] a mortar shell exploded in the close vicinity of Visoki Decani Monastery. This strong explosion woke up the brotherhood in the monastery, and we have Priest Sava Janjic speaking for us directly from the monastery.

[Janjic] This morning around 0110, a strong explosion took place in the vicinity of the monastery, waking up the brotherhood inside the monastery. The very Bishop Teodosije, who was awake at the time, said that he had first heard a muffled sound like some sort of bang, then he heard a wailing sound which lasted for about two or three seconds as if something was flying through the air, and then a very, very strong explosion, which reminded us of mortar attacks we had on 17 March [2004 during ethic Albanian riots] but also in 2000.

The monastery was twice attacked in February and June 2000. Currently, Italian members of Kfor [NATO-led Kosovo Force] are trying to locate the place where the explosion took place, and they say that they cannot confirm whether this is a mortar attack or something else. However, several members of the brotherhood and employees confirmed they heard something flying through the air and then exploding, so we believe that this is an attack against the monastery and probably some sort of a threatening message.

Source: RTS 1 TV, Belgrade, in Serbian 1000 gmt 30 Mar 07

Copyright 2007 British Broadcasting Corporation
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